


Piece By Piece

by JennaSaisQuoi (ScarletTyler)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - (500) Days of Summer Fusion, M/M, Movie AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 09:09:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13877709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletTyler/pseuds/JennaSaisQuoi
Summary: Kuroo meets Tsukishima on January 11th. He knows almost immediately that he had found someone worth all the time and effort in the world.This is a story of boy meets boy, but you should know upfront, this is not just a love story.





	1. Prologue

 

> **This is a story of boy meets boy.**
> 
> **The raven-haired romantic, Kuroo Tetsurou of the Tokyo Prefecture, grew up believing that with enough time and maximum effort, he could achieve anything his heart desired. This belief stemmed from early exposure to the life-or-death dramatics of volleyball matches featured on national TV, and his success in persuading his reclusive childhood friend to join the local team with him.**
> 
> **The golden-haired grump, Tsukishima Kei of the Miyagi Prefecture, did not share this belief. Since the discovery of his brother's secret, he had only loved two things. The first was strawberry shortcake. The second was how easily he could refuse his brother's share. . . and feel nothing.**
> 
> **Kuroo meets Tsukishima on January 11th. He knows almost immediately that he had found someone worth all the time and effort in the world.**
> 
> **This is a story of boy meets boy, but you should know upfront, this is not just a love story.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the first few chapters, this story will borrow a lot of lines and narrations from the movie. Don't worry, it's gonna take a shape of its sooner than you think. Hope you'd enjoy reading this story as much as I did writing it :)


	2. Mackerel Pike

* * *

**(293)**

* * *

 

Voices grew louder, closer, but still Tetsurou refused move a single muscle in his body. Everything hurt. Breathing burned him from inside out. His stomach twisted and knotted itself over and over again. And then, a shadow loomed over him. Feathers grazed his skin. A finger poked him on the cheek. Someone screamed right to his ear, piercing through the haze that had engulfed his senses.

Tetsurou blinked. Once, twice. Until the forms took shape before him. On an entirely different night, he would have laughed his head off at the sight that greeted him.  _'Ah, the things people do for love—and apparently, Halloween.'_   For a second though, his mind betrayed him, flashing images of him and Kei looking this stupid too. Out of nowhere, a lump embedded itself inside his throat.

"Kuroo? Kuroo! What happened here? Where's Tsukki?"

The lump hardened into stone, effectively cutting off the air coming into his lungs. Tetsurou blinked. Once, twice. Until his little kitten slid down beside the squawking, gray owl that once was his best friend.

"Kuro." Kenma called out, his voice soft and steady, calm and almost lazy. "Your floor is cold and disgusting. Please don't make me sit here."

As if by command, a shiver ran down Tetsurou's spine. Had it always been this cold? _And what was that smell?_ His skin started to itch. First, his arms; Then, his back. He jolted up to his feet as the tiny, little creatures crawled all over him. The room swam before his eyes but he didn't let this stop him. His gaze darted on every patch of skin visible to him, but all he found were tiny, little goosebumps up and down and everywhere. Huh. He cleared his throat as his fingers scratched at the phantom intruders. "Wh-what're you guys doing here?" Speaking hurt, too. _What the hell was wrong with him?_

Ignoring his question, Kenma crawled up to the couch and claimed his favorite spot away from the window. On his head perched a pair of cat ears, fuzzy black and skewed on one side. It took Tetsurou three and a half slices of apple pie for Kenma to even dress up this way for the Halloween party they were supposed to be attending tonight. _'There goes my kitten's big debut.'_

"What were you doing on the floor?" Akaashi asked before taking the cue and dropping down the nearest armchair. A handful of white feathers shot up in the air until they floated and littered around Bokuto, who remained frozen on the floor. Costume intact; Dignity wrecked beyond salvation.

"Dying," answered Tetsurou as his day spent with Kei started streaming back to his consciousness.

A gasp, a frown, and an impassive stare. 

Nothing out of ordinary, so at least things weren't changing as much as Tetsurou feared. He sighed and cracked his neck left and right as his legs carried him to the couch. Curling up into a ball, he rested his head on Kenma's lap and closed his eyes once more. No one said a word, but he could hear their minds trying to make sense of what little he had said so far. Fingers combed through the knots in his hair, easing him back to the comfort of the haze.

"Because of Tsukishima-san?" 

The question hung unanswered for a beat before Tetsurou groaned, unwilling to parry his best friend's sharp gaze aimed straight at him. 

"What happened?"

He clamped his mouth shut. Answering would entail acknowledging everything that went down this afternoon, and he was far from ready for that. He needed an escape. However, he had only sat up, turned his head away for a quarter of a second, when Bokuto slammed to his side, pinning him in between a hideous owl and a disgruntled kitten. "Had another fight with Tsukki?"

Another fight, Tetsurou repeated in his head. Maybe Kei was right, after all. . . Except, no. He wouldn't accept that. Not earlier, not now, not ever.

"Start from the beginning," ordered by a cramped voice from his other side. "Tell us what happened." 

Cornered by Kenma's unflinching stare, Bokuto's promise of relentless interrogation, and Akaashi's grim expression, betraying his concern for the missing blond, Tetsurou buried his face on the palm of his hands. He shouldn't have told them where he kept the spare key. Words threatened to spill out of his mouth as his mind drowned him in memories he'd rather flush down the toilet.

"We spent the whole day together," he began, giving in to the impulse after a minute or so. Everything came out muffled, so he lowered down his arms. His hands immediately gripped the edge of the couch, the leather grunting in protest. "We hanged out in his apartment. Watched his favorite movie. Went out for cake. I thought it would be a great day." He paused for a second as Kei's words echoed inside his head. 

It must have been more than a second though, for Bokuto's voice knocked him back to the present. "Then, what happened?"

 

 

> _Something's terribly off. Tetsurou sneaked a peek at Kei from the top of the menu card. This should have been a fool-proof plan. Kei should be hiding a smile now with his copy of the menu card. He should have made fun of the kitschy decor the moment they walked in. Their legs should be bumping under the table, each having a pair that's way too long for comfort._
> 
> _Instead, Kei sat across him, stiffer than usual. His eyes, though hidden behind those glasses, were still tinged red around the corners. And when Tetsurou asked if Kei wanted to split with him, all he got was a slow, almost deliberate, nod. Kei had never shared before. Strawberry shortcake was the one thing he loved more than dinosaurs. Tetsurou knew that. He was just teasing to get a reaction. Well, technically, he did get one. But why, **why** was this making his palms sweat like a sopping mop?_
> 
> _"So, that's one strawberry shortcake, one latte, and one black coffee," the waiter listed off from his tiny notepad. "Anything else?"_
> 
> _Tetsurou grinned a bit too wide that his teeth clicked together. "We're all good. Thanks."_
> 
> _"Great, I'll be back shortly with your order."_
> 
> _Tetsurou watched him leave, if only to stall for time and think of something, anything, to cheer up Kei. He took a sip of his water, and Kei did the same. It had never been this awkward between them since—_
> 
> _"I think we should stop seeing each other."_  

  

 

"Just like that?!" 

"Just like that," Tetsurou confirmed, unable to keep himself from talking at this point.

Akaashi leaned forward, resting his chin on an upturned arm. The gears turning inside his head were almost audible from where Tetsurou sat. "Did he say why?" 

"I guess. . ."

 

 

> _"This. . . thing between us. You and me. Do you think this is normal?" Kei continued, irking Tetsurou for the nth time. When would he admit that they were a couple?_
> 
> _"Look, Kei. Normal is . . . whatever we make it to be." Tetsurou wanted to bang his head against the table. His brain had not caught up yet with the absurd question, and his reply wasn't making things any better. "There are no standards or rules or manuals for this," he added as he reach out a hand towards Kei. "As long as we're happy, right? I'm happy_ _—_ _"_
> 
> _"You're happy?" Kei's eyes widened in surprise, and it was a splash of icy water to Tetsurou's face._
> 
> _"You're not?"_
> 
> _Kei bit his bottom lip, and Tetsurou could swear it quivered just before he spoke again. "Don't you see it? All we do is argue, and— "_
> 
> _"That's not true," Tetsurou cut in a little too hot _—_ a little too loud for the tiny hole-in-wall he had found for Kei a few weeks ago._

 

 

"Maybe he's just in a bad mood," Akaashi offered.

Bokuto, however, scoffed at that. "He's **always** in a bad mood."

"That's not true." All eyes swung back to Tetsurou. If there's anyone in the room that could say, definitively, whether or not the blond was a grump through and through, it was him and only him.

Never one to back down, Bokuto persisted. "He is."

"Not."

"He is!"

"Not!"

"I'm taking off this stupid costume if you don't stop that right now."

"But Akaashi—"

Akaashi slid off the hoodie that held up the bright yellow beak, glaring at his boyfriend the whole time. The effect was instant. Bokuto deflated and settled instead for a massive pout on his lips. 

Kenma sighed. "Please continue."

 

 

> _Tetsurou's little outburst hardened the expression on Kei's face. Gone was the hesitation, the almost careful words that somehow packed a mean uppercut._
> 
> _"This can't be a surprise for you," sneered Kei. "For months, we've been like those teammates of yours. You know the ones. . . The scary, trigger-happy guy and that annoying. . . flashy one."_
> 
> _The sudden change of tone threw off Tetsurou, and even when he righted himself back up, their argume _—_ discussion still didn't make much sense. "Iwaizumi hits Oikawa every time they argue _—_ what can I say, the guy's a big believer of tough love," he explained, slamming a hand over the table to stress his point. "We've had **some** disagreements, but I hardly think I'm anything like him."_
> 
> _Kei gaped at him for a beat like Tetsurou was the one spouting nonsense. "No, **I'm** Iwaizumi-san."_
> 
> _"Wait, wait," Tetsurou said as indignation exploded inside his chest. "You mean I'm Oikawa?!"_
> 
> _Just then, the waiter cleared his throat, reminding them that they were in a very much public space. Their cake and drinks were served without much fanfare, not that Tetsurou wished for the waiter to stay as a buffer for them. After all, they were just discussing their relationship. This was normal. If only he could just talk some sense into Kei. . ._
> 
> _"Let's just eat," the blond muttered as if all the saltiness in him had been drained out of his system. "We'll talk about it after." His fork sliced the cake into two and he nudged one half towards the other side of the plate. Tetsurou could swear he saw the fork shook in Kei's hand as the blond licked off the bits clinging to it. "Mmm. . . You were right. This is a great idea." Kei wasn't done, however._ _Tetsurou watched the blond add more insult to the injury when he punctuated this with a smile that didn't reach his eyes._
> 
> _Tetsurou **hated**  that smile._
> 
> _"Really, Kei?" he snapped, his own fork clattering on the plate. "I brought you here to cheer you up. Get us ready for the party, and this is how _—_ "_
> 
> _"I said," stressed Kei despite keeping his voice softer than necessary, "we'd talk about it later."_
> 
> _"You know what?" Tetsurou stood up and reached for his wallet from his back pocket. The chair rattled against the tiled floor, but he couldn't care less. Under his glass of water, he folded a couple of bills to cover the tab. "I gotta go pick up Kenma _—_ make sure he wears his costume. I'll see you at the party," he added, shoving his arms into the black peacoat with more force than necessary. "Or not, whatever. Oh, and here _—_ " he pushed the plate closer to the blond, "you can now enjoy your cake in peace, Kei." He turned away to leave without waiting for a response. . .when the unthinkable happened. _
> 
> _"Wait, please." The uncertainty returned in his voice, drawing it higher than usual._
> 
> _Tetsurou let out his breath in defeat. He could never resist a vulnerable Kei. Facing the blond again, his chest twinged at the sight of those long_ _fingers fidgeting with the lacy edges of tablecloth. How unfair _—__
> 
> _"Okay. . . let's talk now, Kuroo-san."_

 

 

Silence. Nobody moved a single muscle. Now, they understood, Tetsurou thought to himself. Now, they knew how fucked up this situation really was.

Except they didn't.

"Uhmm, bro," Bokuto said, his eyebrows furrowing together. "I think I missed something."

"Hm? What d'you _—_ " Tetsurou looked around the room, expecting the other two to shake their heads fondly at their dense owl. Neither Kenma nor Akaashi did, however. Rubbing both palms over his face, Tetsurou prayed for patience and spelled it out for them. "Kuroo-san." His arms gesticulated around him, but it didn't help much. For a second, he wondered if they were all just playing dumb. "Kuroo-san. Not Kuroo. Not Tetsu. Not even Tetsurou _—_ which, to be fair, he never used anyway."

"He hasn't been Kuroo-san to Tsukishima since they started dating," supplied Akaashi.

Tetsurou thought it was completely unnecessary only to find Bokuto and Kenma finally nodding their heads in understanding. "Bokuto. . . I understand. But you, Kenma?"

"I guess you're not much of story-teller," Kenma dismissed with a shrug. 

"Thanks, Kenma," Tetsurou snapped back. "Kicking me while I'm down."

Bokuto perked up at this, his giant owl head tilting to one side. "So you were lying down the floor because. . .?"

"I honestly don't know," Kuroo admitted. "The last thing I remember is walking out on him after that. . ." He trailed off as gradually, the magnitude and implication of what had happened started coming back with a vengeance. "I think we're done. . . We're done. Shit, shit, shit _—_ " His breaths turned into large gulps of air. Each one choked him, however, harder and harder and _—_

A hand stroked his back, up and down, up and down. Slowly, gently. "Follow my rhythm, Kuro." Up and down. Up and down.

"You're gonna be fine," Bokuto assured him, squeezing both of Tetsurou's hands in his.

"I'm gonna throw up."

"Or that."

Somehow Bokuto produced a bottle of water out of nowhere _—_ Akaashi's, most likely _—_ and Tetsurou wished he could at least twist the cap off without dropping it. "Bro, you'll be okay. You're the best guy I know," said Bokuto as he uncapped the bottle without prompt and handed it over to Tetsurou, who mumbled a quick thanks under his breath. "Remember what people say? Plenty of fish in the sea!"

"No," grumbled Tetsurou before trying to drink at least half in one go.

Akaashi tipped the bottle away from his lips when he was just a quarter done. "People do say that."

Slapping the interfering hand away, Tetsurou attempted to drown himself again with water that vaguely tasted of lemons. Bokuto was having none of it, snatching it away with a well-practiced swoop.

Pissed off and somehow still really, really thirsty, Kuroo's patience snapped into two again. "They're all wrong. I've fished in that sea. I've jumped in and swam in that sea. I'm fucking Aquaman!" 

A gasp, a frown, and an impassive stare. 

"What I mean is. . ." Tetsurou sighed, unable to understand how his friends could say such things. "There's no other fish for me. He was my fish. . ." A sudden burst of inspiration hit him, and _god_ , it was too perfect. "My mackerel pike." He should tell this to Kei the next chance he got. The unholy combination of disgust and concern on his friends' faces almost deterred him though.

Almost.

He's definitely getting Kei back.

 


	3. Whoa

* * *

**(74)**

* * *

 

 "So. . ." 

Swallowing his nerves, Tetsurou hazarded a glance to his right side. He was expecting to get the third degree from Akiteru, but coupled with his stuffy, black suit under an equally stuffy coat, the anticipation made him break out in cold sweat. He had met beforehand Tsukki's mother so he was mentally prepared for another round of polite nods and pinched smiles. She had never shown any indication though that she knew his relationship with her youngest son. Which was all well and good for him and Tsukki, having both agreed to keep things casual between them, whatever the blond meant by that. Akiteru, on the other hand, had instantly realized the significance of Tetsurou's unexpected presence on his little brother's graduation from the university. 

The elder Tsukishima kept his face forward, carefully keeping his lips from moving as he spoke. "Kei never mentioned having another friend besides Tadashi."

Tetsurou tried to play it cool with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn't even dare to snort on the subtle dig on Tsukki's standoffish nature—Kenma would be so proud of him. Probably. He cleared his throat, eyes still trained on Akiteru. "Maybe because I'm not, y'know. . . on the same category as that other kid." Tsukki had invited him today, after all. Him and him alone. Tetsurou was now _at least_  80% sure that at this point they were not merely 'hanging out'—as Tsukki had _eloquently_ explained to him before.

Arms crossed in front of him, Akiteru pursed his lips together, his gaze now directed down to where his little brother sat with the other graduates. The Tsukishimas plus Tetsurou were seated somewhere in the middle of the balcony, but even from this distance, Tsukki's towering frame and golden hair made it easy for them to keep an eye on him in the sea of blacks and blues. "Are you implying what _I think_ you're implying?" asked Akiteru, still mindful of the volume of his voice. His mother sat on his other side, sniffing every now and then, but way too immersed with the ceremony to notice the ongoing interrogation.

"Depends," Tetsurou deflected, turning his eyes away from Akiteru. Tsukki had always kept things close to his chest, and Tetsurou didn't want to blunder his way into disclosing something so personal for the blond. "I mean, all I could tell you is my side of the story. You'd have to ask your brother why he invited me to—"

"You know Kei would never tell me," Akiteru cut in, practically hissing out the words under his breath. 

Tsukki had never talked about his relationship with his brother, but from what Tetsurou had observed earlier, Akiteru's underhanded way of getting information on Tsukki wasn't much of a surprise. On one hand, Tetsurou wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his growing relationship with Tsukki. On the other, he wanted to be in Akiteru's good graces too for he had an inkling that Tsukki still valued his brother's opinions despite their less-than-warm kinship. As he weighed his options on how to circumvent a potential disaster, Tetsurou  made the rather unfortunate mistake of returning his gaze on the older Tsukishima. He had already noted earlier the resemblance between the brothers, and _dammit_ , a distressed Tsukki was one of his newfound kryptonites. Furrowed eyebrows, reddened cheeks, a little pout on the lips—Tetsurou spared a thought on whether mannerisms were mere products of constant exposure or genetic lottery. A combination of both, most likely, but _clearly_ that was not the main concern here. Tetsurou's resolve was weakened by that expression, so before his brain could catch up with his mouth, he relented with a bolstering gulp of air. "I'minlovewithTsukki." The words came out in a rush, toppling over one another, and yet the elder Tsukishima caught each and every one of them.

Wide eyes, slack jaw, a quiver on the bottom lip—even their surprised expressions were almost identical.

"Wha— _How?_ Since when?"

Eyebrows rising up to his hairline, Tetsurou was _slightly_ offended on Tsukki's behalf. Slightly, because he wasn't quite certain that Tsukki wouldn't react the same way. Sure, the grumpy blond was not the easiest person to fall in love with. He pushed people away for shits and giggles. His motivational levels could use a hefty boost every now and then. Clever as he was, he had a tendency to overthink everything and anything under sun, and when he did reach a decision, it would always be edged with cynicism with a hint of condescension. Tsukki was, by anyone's standards, not the easiest person to love. 

But Tetsurou had never asked for easy. He had never been the person to tap out first, nor was he the type of person to rely on just what was on the surface. Of course, the surface in this case was incredibly beautiful, so to speak. Golden waves that perfectly matched his piercing gaze. Pale, smooth skin that felt the softest on his long, long legs. And _god_ , those lips. Pouting, smirking, frowning, laughing—it's quite a sight to behold, really. Lucky was the man who could draw out a genuine smile from his lovely Tsukki. Other people—even the blond's old friends—thought it was an impossible feat. Not for Tetsurou. His favorite memory of Tsukki was the first time he had made the blond laugh. His arms were crossed over his middle as his hands clutched to his sides. Tears welled up around the corners of his crescent eyes, and red was quickly spreading from his cheeks down to his chest. Right there and then, Tetsurou had vowed to make Tsukki laugh every day. Easier said than done, of course, so he had now settled to bring out a smile whenever they were together, at the very least. Though it was rather selfish of him, he just couldn't resist the chance to feel the rush of being in the presence of a light-hearted Tsukki. 

That was also probably the day he fell in love with the blond. Or was it after the first time they kissed? The romantic part of him wanted to shout out that he fell in love at first sight, and Tetsurou was pretty sure nobody who knew them both would try to refute that. He just wished he had the courage to tell Tsukki how he felt, and perhaps even ask if the blond felt the same way. He understood the risks though, so it was all pipe dreams. For now, he hoped. 

"I'm not sure when or how," answered Tetsurou as the graduates lined up in the middle of the hall, awaiting their turn to get up the stage and claim their hard-earned rewards for the grueling four years they spent here at Todai. "It doesn't matter, really." He smirked when he caught Tsukki scanning the crowd behind them. In any other place or time, Tetsurou would have whooped and clapped his hands to get someone's attention, but the blond would probably explode into red bits of secondhand embarrassment right where he stood. Akiteru, however, was still staring at him, a million questions breaking out on his shell-shocked expression. Tetsurou could tell which one he was dying to ask, but he himself didn't know the answer to that. They could talk about it all day, turn it over until all sides had been measured, but even then, Tsukki's feelings for him would remain a mystery to everyone, including the blond himself.

"You're in love with him. . ." Akiteru whispered, his tone lifting higher near the end, making it seem like a question instead.

Finally making eye contact with a frowning Tsukki down below, Tetsurou's smirk turned into a wide, toothy grin in hopes of assuaging the blond's worry and whatever else was running in his head. In response, Tsukki intensified his frown into a scowl, and the sight almost made Tetsurou crack up despite himself. He would just have to make it up to the blond later, preferably with a kiss or two or maybe even more. The graduation gift hidden inside his coat pocket could also do the trick—just a little token he had searched for high and low, much to his friends' exasperation. It would all be worth it though because, _yes_ , Kuroo Tetsurou was ridiculously in love with Tsukishima Kei.

 

 

 

* * *

**(1)**

* * *

 

> **Most days of the year are entirely unremarkable. They begin and they end without creating a single lasting memory. Most days have no real impact on the course of a life.**
> 
> **January 11th was a Monday.**

 

 

Beads of perspiration slid down Tetsurou's temple as he hummed some tuneless song under his breath. It was a useless distraction though from the blast of winter chill blowing past his ears. One more lap, and then he would be free to indulge himself with some steaming hot coffee. And perhaps a cup of plain yogurt. Heaven forbid Suga had baked a couple of mini tuna melt quiches. Tetsurou wasn't sure he had the willpower to resist them again.

His phone vibrated inside his jacket signaling a text, most likely a heads-up from Akaashi. No rest for the wicked, he grumbled as he made a right turn toward his apartment building. He would have to cut short his morning run—the third time this month—to make it to the gym before Bokuto did. Darn owl was always hogging the sole weights machine, as if his arms weren't thick enough to rip a sleeve or two.

Speaking of sleeves, the tracksuit—which he legally had to wear 80% of the time he was out in public lest he lose the deal he had with ICS—clung to his skin, all sticky and gross and itchy as hell. He would kill for a quick shower this second, but it really couldn't be helped. Too bad for the other patrons of The Nest. They would just have endure his current revolting state. Kenma would always chastise him for justifying his questionable actions with any volleyball-related excuse, but guess what? Kenma wasn't here right now.

A whiff of cinnamon and vanilla greeted him upon entering The Nest. Warm, cheery, and conveniently located on the ground floor of his apartment building, the little cafe was practically an extension of his kitchen since it opened two years ago. Students and workers were lined up before the counter, dead on their feet but bravely trudging onward for a shot of caffeine. On a normal day, he would join them and wait for his turn to order.

Today was no normal day, however.

Rehearsing the usual order in his head, Tetsurou brushed past the other patrons, who understandably groaned and jumped away from the sweaty guy clad in his team colors of red and yellow—a real sore sight for the early morning. He tried to ignore them even though he could already see Sawamura shaking his head behind the register. "Mornin', Sawamura!"

"I can't keep giving you special treatment," Sawamura groused back. "It's bad for business." His nose scrunched up when Tetsurou had reached the counter.

"Just this once again, please!" begged Tetsurou, bowing his head so low that his forehead nearly touched the granite top.

"Now, where did I hear that one before?"

Tetsurou wasn't above kneeling down the floor to get what he wanted, but he really didn't have the time for more dramatics. He straightened up to try smooth-talking his way into Sawamura's good graces, but apparently that wasn't one of his options either. No, because when he snapped back up, a blond guy appeared on his peripheral vision, and in a quarter of a second, held Tetsurou's full attention. "Whoa," he breathed, mesmerized beyond actual words. Blondie was placing those sinful tuna melt quiches piece by piece atop the glass display on the far end of the counter, granting Tetsurou only a view of his profile. Tall and oh so pale in his black t-shirt. Slim arms and an even slimmer waist wrapped with The Nest's signature orange apron. The thick-framed glasses slid down the slope of his nose, so his nimble fingers pushed them back up to his eyes that reminded Tetsurou of the toy figures that Kenma hoarded by the hundreds. 

 

> **Kuroo Tetsurou knew of only one person who had fallen in love at first sight. He thought it was only possible because of Akaashi Keiji.**
> 
> **Tsukishima Kei was nothing like Akaashi Keiji.**
> 
> **A head taller. A bit lighter. A lot snarkier.  
>  **
> 
> **For all intents and purposes, Tsukishima didn't possess the qualities that had changed Bokuto's life.**
> 
> **Except, he did.**
> 
> **To wit, in 2003, Tsukishima went to Karasuno High School and joined their volleyball club. He had received an annual average of 10.5 confessions behind the gym from girls and boys alike. He had accepted an annual average of 0 confession, much to the frustration of his best friend, Yamaguchi Tadashi.**
> 
> **In his second year, the vice principal had featured him, along with Hinata Shoyo and Kageyama Tobio, in the school's recruitment posters. Not a single one had been defaced, even though 5 posters mysteriously disappeared within the first week of their release.**
> 
> **Tsukishima's employment at the Sakanoshita Store during his third year had coincided with an inexplicable increase of 212% in revenues. A feat that continued to baffle his former coach and shop owner, Ukai Keishin.  
>  **
> 
> **Since he had moved to Tokyo, every apartment he rented was offered at an average rate of 9.2% below market value, and his 15-minute walk to the university got him an average of 7.4 head turns.**
> 
> **It was a rare quality, this "whoa" effect. Rare, and yet something encountered but never acknowledged by most.**
> 
> **For Kuroo Tetsurou to experience it now, in a city of 1,067 coffee shops, 60,458 commercial buildings, and 9.28 million people. . . Well, he believed he had found something to chase after with everything he's got.**

 

 

Glasses-kun went back to the kitchen, probably to fetch some more of Suga's exquisite creations. Tetsurou followed him with his gaze, up until Sawamura blocked his view with a fearsome glare.

"Paws off, Kuroo."

Immune to the raven's intimidation, Tetsurou asked, "Who's that?"

Sawamura pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Aren't you in a hurry?" Not expecting a response, he then punched in the order and hollered to Tanaka to prepare the usual for Tetsurou.

"Thanks, man. I owe you one," Tetsurou said, paying double than what was due.

"Or three."

"Yeah," Tetsurou agreed distractedly. Pushing his luck again, he ventured another test of patience for Sawamura the Reluctant Saint. "Business must be doing well. I see new faces here every day. New customers, new crew. Y'know. . ." He trailed off as Glasses-kun returned, this time with a basket of banana caramel muffins. He heard Sawamura sigh again, signaling yet another victory for Tetsurou.

"He's a kouhai from Miyagi," Sawamura said before greeting the next customer.

Luck must be on Tetsurou's side that morning because the lady beside him ordered a couple of muffins to go. With no other choice, Sawamura asked Glasses-kun to bring over the basket to him. Glasses-kun approached his boss only to stop mid-way, frowning. "Who died in here?" he muttered under his breath.

Sawamura chuckled as he handed the change to the customer. "That would be him," he said, pointing a thumb towards Tetsurou.

Finally— _Finally!_ —Glasses-kun directed his gaze to Tetsurou, and a hint of recognition passed his features for a second or two. There may have been more than a hint of disgust, but Tetsurou blissfully overlooked that in favor of staring back to those golden eyes.

Tetsurou was caught in between thanking or cursing the volleyball gods for making him wear this smelly but distinctive tracksuit. "Hi. Kuroo Tetsurou." He would have offered a hand but settled for a wave instead. Of all the days to skip shower, really. "The best middle blocker of the Tokyo Blockbusters."

"If you say so," dismissed Glasses-kun with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn't offer his name yet but he hadn't left either, so it all evened out for Tetsurou.

"Have you seen us play? I can get you—"

"As entertaining it is to see you fail at this," Sawamura cut in, "need I remind you that you're supposed to be in a hurry? Take your drink already and go."

Tetsurou floundered for something else to say, something he could use as an excuse to get Glasses-kun's number. Or at least, his name. He didn't have to try hard though because despite Sawamura's justifiable grouchiness this morning, he actually was a caring and standup guy with a penchant for sighing in defeat and patience as tall as Mount Fuji itself.

"Kuroo, this is Tsukishima Kei," said Sawamura, nudging his kouhai with an elbow to the side. Tsukishima bowed his head slightly and raised it up just as fast. His expression remained bland though his eyes hinted at something else entirely. Something that tickled Tetsurou's curiosity. "He's a senior at Todai," Sawamura continued, unaware of the growing interest that had lodged into Tetsurou's chest. "Said he needed something to do during the break, so I offered him a part-time job here."

"Smart and practical," Tetsurou remarked, smirking. "You're pretty amazing, Tsukishima."

"I just needed the extra cash," countered Tsukishima, his cheeks turning into an enticing shade of pink. To Sawamura, he said, "If you'll excuse me, Suga-san wanted me to finish setting out the dessert cups." When Sawamura nodded his head, Tsukishima left without another word, carefully avoiding Tetsurou's attempt to catch his gaze again.

Still, Tetsurou couldn't get the sight of a pink Tsukishima out of his mind. He wondered if the blond would be gorgeous in red, too. _Yeah, he definitely would_ , Tetsurou decided within the next second. And as he walked out of the cafe, dazed and a little out of breath, his hot drink clutched in one hand while the other tapped on his phone, he recalled the tiny details he had managed to pick up during the short time they spent together. Like how Tsukishima was a couple of inches taller than him. And how the blond clicked his tongue before frowning. And how much cuter he would be if only he would smile once in a while. He sifted through these tiny details in silence—examining, reflecting, admiring—until Bokuto blasted his ears with a booming'Good morning!' 

_Ah, what a good morning indeed._


	4. Oh, Really?

* * *

**(3)**

* * *

 

"—and then I forgot to take it home! I was slaving over it for days, and I just. . ."

Bokuto's sudden silence grabbed Tetsurou's full attention. He had been listening with one ear to his best friend's latest misadventures, just enough to nod at the right places, gasp at the right times. He probably missed his cue just now. Inexcusable but inevitable, he knew, but then again, hanging out at The Nest would never be the same again for Tetsurou ever since the arrival of a certain blond. How could anyone concentrate when their crush was within line of sight but sadly out of reach?

Bokuto turned his head towards the counter, the same counter where Tetsurou had been sneaking glances at for the past half hour or so. "Bro. . ." said Bokuto, facing his friend once more. "He's not even your type."

"Eh?"

"Glasses-kun over there." Bokuto crossed his thick arms over his chest, a knowing grin spreading across his lips. "Don't waste your time just 'cause you haven't had—"

"Excuse me, but I'm pretty sure Glasses-kun's interested in me, too." For the past two days, Tetsurou had caught Tsukishima's gaze already on him for four times. Four times. Once or twice could be a coincidence. Three's suspicious, but four times. . . "And I don't have a type."

" 'Course you do! Long hair, cute and tiny. . ." Bokuto listed off, his gaze sticking up to the ceiling. "Well, he's blond, but that's it," he finished with a shrug of his shoulders.

Tetsurou opted to ignore Bokuto's less-than-subtle attempt to nudge him towards something that should not have even crossed his mind in the first place. Yes, he loved and cared for Kenma, but years and years of constant companionship had made them immune to each other's charms. Besides, it's better this way, Tetsurou reminded himself. Sex had always complicated things. He would rather be celibate all his life than lose his little kitten. Pushing those thoughts off his mind, Tetsurou went back to watching Tsukishima serve customers from afar. Something about the blond was so damn addictive, just like the coffee he served day in and day out. Sawamura should have known better, too. Forbidding Tetsurou from getting close just made him crave for the blond's attention even more than how much he craved their carb-laden pastries and whatnot. Parched, he finished his drink in one big gulp, already planning to ask for refills.

Bokuto, however, had other plans in mind. "I'm just looking out for you, bro," he sighed. "I've been hearing a lot of bad things about Glasses-kun."

Eyes snapping back to his friend from across the table, Tetsurou leaned forward on his seat. "Oh, really?" 

"Yeah, yeah," said Bokuto, dropping the volume of his voice as he leaned closer too. "Heard he's a total asshole to everyone."

"Hmmm. . ." Tetsurou tried to recall if Tsukishima had been an asshole to him since they met. Unreturned greetings every morning, unreadable expressions hidden behind the eyeglasses, understandable aversion towards him during the smelly-tracksuit incident—nothing, so far, proved this surprising rumor about the blond.

"Ask Hinata," Bokuto offered. "He complains about Glasses-kun all the time. I mean, he may be a shrimp, but there's no need to look down on him. Hinata's the best!"

"Maybe Glasses-kun's just having a rough time adjusting here. You know what it's like—"

"Or maybe," Bokuto interrupted as his round eyes grew bigger and brighter, "he's a salty french fry who thinks he's better than tater tots."

Tetsurou couldn't help but chuckle at the drawn comparison. His gaze strayed once more to the french fry in question. "I dunno, bro. . ."

Bokuto sighed. "I guess he's kinda cute, but do you really wanna date someone who couldn't get along with _our baby crow?"_

The darn owl had a point. Maybe Tetsurou was getting in over his head with this sudden infatuation. Right now, all he wanted was to smash down the walls surrounding Tsukishima, to spend time figuring out what would make him laugh, to learn what goes through his head whenever he stole glances at Tetsurou. However, if the blond would never permit anyone to get close enough to even touch him, then maybe Tetsurou really was wasting his time. Was this a lost cause from the start or was he giving up too early in the pursuit? "Aww, this sucks." He planted his face over his arms folded on the table, groaning. "It's always the pretty ones."

"Not my Akaashi~"

Tetsurou didn't have to look up again to know that a smug grin was plastered on the Bokuto's face when he said that. "Can he be my Akaashi, too?" he teased, his voice distorted by the hollow space formed by his limbs.

Gasping out loud—as if he had been shot right in the chest—Bokuto's expected response provided a temporary reprieve from the whirlwind of thoughts circling in Tetsurou's head.

 

 

* * *

**(4)**

* * *

 

"Kuroo-saaan!!"

Like father, like son, Tetsurou thought as he waved back a hand to the beaming ball of energy that was Hinata Shoyo. Together with the other part-timers of The Nest, the fiery-head kid would play volleyball after their shifts on the park across their building. They had not given up on inviting Tetsurou, even though he had explained already that resting was just as important as training. On most days, he would always be the first to ignore this advice though—a complication brought about by his friendship with Bokuto and his own innate stubbornness—but these kids didn't have to know that. Because, otherwise, Suga would berate him for leading their children astray. He was intent on keeping his word, but then a flash of gold appeared beside Chibi-chan.

_'No way.'_

Without noticing it, Tetsurou had already crossed the street; his mind occupied with echoes of his conversation with Bokuto yesterday. Nobody would invite a total asshole to hang out and play with them, right? _Right?_

"Wanna join us?" asked Chibi-chan, startling Tetsurou out of his thoughts.

"He can't, dumbass. We already have enough players."

Tetsurou couldn't recall the other kid's name, and at the moment, he couldn't care less anyway. Not when Tsukishima was trying hard to ignore his stares again. Tetsurou wished it was already summer, so he could see the blond in proper volleyball gear—those legs in teeny-tiny shorts would be the death of him. Tsukishima still looked pretty great though in his snug vest over a purple shirt and dark, skinny jeans. Tetsurou was about to greet him, tease him a bit, get some sort of reaction, when the blond stalked past his friends. 

"He can take my place," Tsukishima said. "I have a paper to finish anyway."

Chibi-chan whined, "Awww, don't go. I still haven't spiked past your block."

"Let's just take turns," Skinhead suggested with both arms akimbo.

Still, Tsukishima showed no signs of listening to anyone at the moment.

Tetsurou wanted to bang his head against the post to get it working again. "You play volleyball, too?" he squeaked, asking the obvious in an attempt to keep the blond from leaving.

"Yeah." Tsukishima slung his red bag on his shoulder. Even as he answered, his gaze remained nowhere near Tetsurou's direction.

"He's a middle blocker too," said Chibi-chan, puffing out his chest. His huge smile compensated for the lack thereof on his teammate's face.

"Was," corrected Tsukishima.

"You were playing just now."

"And your point is?" Tsukishima towered over the shrimp, making him appear smaller than he really was.

"Look," said Tetsurou, "I don't wanna ruin your flow." Tsukishima took a step back and turned his glare at the intruder. Tetsurou didn't mind; at least the blond had finally acknowledged him that afternoon. "Watching Chibi-chan get blocked is entertaining by itself," he added, his tone mollifying.

"Hey!"

A smirk flickered on Tsukishima's lips, disappearing when he spoke next. "The view's better from the other side of the net," he suggested to Tetsurou before nodding his head in goodbye to no one in particular.

Tetsurou fell into step with the blond, who quickened his pace the moment he noticed that he had company. Thank the gods for blessing him with long legs too, thought Tetsurou. "I'd rather watch you do it for me," he said, hiding his nerves behind a sly grin. "Heard you could rile him up pretty well."

"I'm sure you could do a better job than me."

Red traffic lights flashed in front of them, hampering Tsukishima's escape. Other commuters began to gather around them, and Tetsurou was glad to have an excuse when their arms pressed against each other's. "I don't know about that. . ."

"I've watched your games," Tsukishima said. "Your personal time difference—"

"You've watched me play." Tetsurou couldn't help but interrupt, grinning now from ear to ear.

Shrugging his shoulders, Tsukishima pushed his eyeglasses up with his fingers when it slid down his nose.

"And you think I'm good. . ."

Tsukishima bristled at this. "You're reading way too much into what I said."

"Oh, really?" Fighting the urge to pump his fist in victory, Tetsurou decided to tease the blond some more. "Tell me, what's on my mind, _Tsukki?"_

In a split second, pink turned to red around Tsukishima's cheeks. "Tch, don't call me that." His face crumpled into one cute mess that had Tetsurou chuckling under his breath. Tsukishima, fortunately, was saved from further teasing when the traffic lights turned to green.

Tetsurou had his fill for now, however. He slid both hands into his pockets, blissfully ignorant of the funny looks thrown at him. "See you tomorrow, Tsukki!" he called out to the blond power-walking through the crowded streets of Tokyo.


	5. Goldblum

* * *

**(8)**

* * *

 

Finally—after three days of hovering in and out of the café, after spending most of his weekend with the other part-timers, after searching for one _'Tsukishima Kei'_ in every social media site out there— _finally,_ Tetsurou's favorite blond had returned to his usual spot by the counter. Their last conversation had left much to be desired. Too quick, too snappy, and yet it was the only thing that had kept him going for the past three days. That, and the tiny bits of trivia he had scavenged from the Tsukki's oldest friends. 

"Excuse me," a voice called out from behind. "You're blocking the way."

Tetsurou's legs moved forward without him bothering to check who spoke. He joined the line of other patrons, pretending to scan the menu only for his gaze to flit back down to where the blond was. Without meaning to, however, his eyes met with Suga, who smirked at him before moving on to the next customer. Pretty much everyone working here knew, at this point. Three days worth of _'Is Tsukki coming in today?'_ and _'Did Tsukki ever. . . ?'_ would be hard to misinterpret as anything but a shameless crush on the missing blond.

Suga greeted the next customer with a gentle smile. Tetsurou knew, however, that Suga was anything but gentle. That exact smile had fooled him once but never again. It's always the pretty ones, after all. Another gentle smile, another customer off to the plush armchairs on the other side of the café. Only one more to go, and then he could be as close as he could get to his crush without being a massive creep.

Or so he thought.

"Mornin', Suga," Tetsurou said, a toothy smile already plastered on his face. He sneaked a glance to the left, checking out if the blond was paying attention.

Leaning closer, Suga whispered, "You're not even trying to be coy about it, huh?"

Tsukki did not show any sign he was listening in. Not even a hint of interest, for that matter. Tetsurou sighed. "Well, it's been a week already, and I'm still not making much progress with him."

Suga pursed his lips to the side. "There, there. . . The usual?"

"Um, just a large black, no sugar." Disappointment was brewing in Tetsurou's chest so he might as well mix in a cup of black coffee to match his mood.

As he punched in the order, Suga whispered again, "Want me to give him a _tiny, little nudge?"_

Tetsurou's breath caught in his throat upon hearing the offer. He rubbed the back of his neck with his palm—thinking, considering. Would he be crossing the line if he accepted the help? Would Tsukki be fine with his senpai's meddling? _Would it even work?_ "Just the tiniest, please," he acquiesced after a moment. It's not like he had plenty of options, anyway. "I don't wanna seem desperate."

"Oh," Suga chuckled, "I don't think you could look more desperate even if you tried." The blender was whirring like crazy in the background, drowning out his words from being heard by others except for Tetsurou.

"Kicking me while I'm down," Tetsurou muttered back. _"Thanks."_

"You're welcome. That'll be 600 yen." Suga's syrupy smile betrayed nothing about the topic of their conversation.

Tetsurou pulled out a thousand from his wallet. "So. . . "

The cash register dinged, and without missing a beat, Suga dropped the change into the tip jar. "Stay here while I work something out for you." 

"I can do that, yeah." After all, it's not like Tetsurou had any other option.

Without warning whatsoever, Suga dashed back to the kitchen like his precious croissants were in the brink of pastry death. "Tsukishima, mind the register for me, please!"

Perplexed, the blond blinked once, twice, as he processed his senpai's odd behavior. 

Was this supposed to be Suga's _tiny, little nudge?_  Bokuto revealing Tetsurou's big, fat crush at the top of his lungs would have been _way_ subtler than this. 

Approaching the counter with slow, even steps, Tsukki turned his gaze on Tetsurou, equally stunned but for quite different reasons. "Do you need anything else?" he asked. His tone remained bland though the tips of his ears were starting to redden by the second. 

"Umm. . ." It seemed like the situation was not as hopeless as everyone believed. Tetsurou rolled his lips between his teeth, smothering a triumphant grin. _'Don't get ahead of yourself. Think, think.'_ There were no other customers lined up besides him.Tsukki's full attention was on him and him alone. The pressure was starting to mount. When his eyes caught sight of the desserts on display, an idea finally struck him. "Which ones d'you recommend?"

It took a second before Tsukki caught on his inquiry. "Aren't you a regular here?"

Tetsurou shrugged his shoulders. "Everything looks so good. I could never decide what to order."

An arched eyebrow met his eagerness before those large, golden eyes peruse the items on display. "Savory or sweet?" asked Tsukki, as he reached for the tongs and a small black plate.

"A bit of both?" Tetsurou ventured, thrilled that his latest attempt at flirting was somewhat paying off. "No, wait. Make it sweet." He couldn't help but snicker when the blond clicked his tongue at his customer's indecision. 

Still, Tsukki obliged as he picked out a strawberry tart from the tray. "Here," he said, adding a fork on the side of the plate. "The mascarpone cream cheese offsets the strawberry jam, and Suga-san's always generous with the butter. It's mostly sweet but the crust is on the savory side. Perfect for what you actually wanted."

"I like it when you read my mind," Tetsurou teased. 

Tsukki shot him down, however. "You wanted my recommendation."

"Uh, yeah." Tetsurou was starting to flounder again. "But I like strawberries. And you figured that out." He forced out a light chuckle, adding, "I mean, who doesn't? Right?"

Tsukki's eyebrows furrowed. "Some guys find it too feminine for their tastes."

"Well, that's stupid. There's nothing gendered about fruit," Tetsurou countered. He wondered how their conversation had turned to another debate, but he liked it when a corner of Tsukki's lips tugged up at his words. And though he may not be _that_ into strawberries, everything pointed to the possibility that Tsukki loved this particular fruit. That alone was enough reason for Tetsurou to taste something worthy of Tsukki's recommendation. " _Oh,_ you were right. This is quite good," he remarked, licking off bits of cream from the fork.

"That's 250 yen," Tsukki said, the words rushing out of his lips. His ears, on the other hand, were turning into a shade of red that wonderfully matched the dessert. 

Tetsurou fought the urge to jump over the counter and run his tongue over that patch of skin. "I'll take another one," he said as he fished out another thousand from his wallet. If his winning streak would persist, The Nest would be taking a huge chunk of his allowance before the day had even ended. 

"Shouldn't you be watching your carbs?" asked Tsukki upon completing the order. His eyes refused to meet with Tetsurou's once more, opting instead to stare down at the dessert.

Tetsurou bit back another triumphant grin. By now, he understood that if Tsukki was not interested in him, then he would have been blown off by now with a curt dismissal. Instead, he had been standing before the counter for far longer than necessary, receiving question after question, as if the blond himself wanted to keep the conversation going. "No worries there. That one's for you." he said. 

Tsukki's gaze snapped up to his. When Tetsurou smiled, hoping to ease him into accepting the offer, the blond frowned and shook his head. "Thank you, but I can't—"

"Of course, you can!" Suga chimed in, trailing whiffs of vanilla from the kitchen. He shoved Tsukki away from the counter and took back his spot. "You've been here since five. Take this," he said while pushing the plate to the blond's hands, "and keep him company for me, okay?"

 _'What the—'_   Was he watching them this whole time? 

Tetsurou didn't know whether to be annoyed or be grateful for the interruption. Tsukki's discomfort was apparent on his expression but he wasn't exactly resisting the much smaller man's assertions. And so before he knew it, Tsukki was seated across him at a corner booth away from Suga's prying eyes. 

"You didn't have to," muttered Tsukki. He did pick up the fork and poked at the sliced strawberries.

Have to, want to, need to—Tetsurou wasn't sure which one was more appropriate. Without warning again, Suga brought over his drink, winking at him before fluttering back to his perch by the register. He sighed and took a small sip from the overly sized mug. 

"Are you—"

"I should—"

Tetsurou smiled, giving way to whatever Tsukki was going to say. The blond refused, however, with a forkful of strawberry tart. Alright, Tetsurou resolved, he would take the lead on this one. "Finished with your paper?" Tsukki nodded his head, too engrossed with savoring his treat. How adorable, Tetsurou observed with some self-satisfaction. "What's it about?" 

"It's a meta-analysis of character utility and phylogenetic information content in cladistic studies of Megaherbivores from the middle Mesozoic cluster," answered Tsukki, his golden eyes glinting with challenge.

To anyone else, that would sound gibberish. A bunch of jargon that could intimidate the listener from trying to pick apart what the words meant. Fortunately, Tetsurou was a closet nerd hiding underneath a brightly colored, cotton tracksuit. "Dinosaurs, huh?" 

". . . Yeah." Tsukki's lips parted as if to say something further, but he took another bite of his treat instead.

"I took up Paleontology as an elective back when I was in uni," Tetsurou added. "Bio major here. Though not from somewhere as prestigious as Todai." Tsukki nodded, but didn't say anything back. Sighing, Tetsurou took another sip of his bitter drink as he debated with himself in his head. Should he mention that one time he watched Jurassic Park? Did Tsukki even like dinosaurs outside of schoolwork? Or was this just a showcase of how seriously Tsukki regarded his GPA? His internal silent battle must have stretched longer than appropriate for the blond clicked his tongue, pulling Tetsurou back to reality.

"Go ahead," said Tsukki. "I've heard it all before."

Tetsurou raised an eyebrow though he kept his mouth shut.

Tsukki continued, "Yamaguchi holds the record for the worst one, so far. Used to call me 'Bone-Nerd' when—"

"Boner??"

Eyes rolling upward, Tsukki huffed back at him. "Bone. Nerd." He clicked his tongue once more before adding, "Because he thinks I love poking dirt with a stick to look for bones."

"Pffft—" Biting down his bottom lip, Tetsurou restrained himself from laughing at the imagery and the unintentional innuendo.

"What?"

"Uh, y'know," answered Tetsurou, shrugging his shoulders. "I mean, you're a smart kid. You've got to be hearing it, too." 

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Tsukki denied despite the irrefutable evidence spreading across his cheeks. He finished off whatever was left of the tart in one last bite before standing up. "Suga-san needs help," he said without even looking at the counter. He did bow his head slightly at Tetsurou, who relished the sight of an embarrassed Tsukki. 

With a shit-eating grin, Tetsurou let him go but not without one last hurrah. Eyeing the blond who was weaving through the round tables and plush chairs, he called out, "In case you're still interested, I was wondering earlier how big of a dino-dork you really are, _Tsukki._ "

The blond stiffened, pausing in the middle of the cafe. He turned his face back just to hurl a final glare at his troublesome customer. "Stop calling me that!"

Red really did suit him best, Tetsurou observed, his grin still in place as he raised his mug to Tsukki.

 

 

 

* * *

**(11)**

* * *

 

"And guess what? He's a middle blocker, too. Back in high school." Tetsurou floored it when he snatched up another mushroom. "I think I could get him to join me in a game soon. He's got a nice form, but he could add a little bit more effort into his spikes." An image of Tsukki mid-air made him lose a turn. Dammit. Kenma remained silent as he zoomed past every other race cart.

Tetsurou smashed the button extra hard, as if that would make Yoshi go faster. It was all for naught because ten seconds later, good ol' Donkey Kong crossed the finish line. 

"Three to one. I win," Kenma said, blinking up to his best friend who groaned in defeat.

"You can have this one." With a wistful smile, Tetsurou dropped the controller to his side. "I've been winning in everything else." And he really was. For the past few days, the ever-reluctant Tsukki had been warming up to him. Yes, the blond still grimaced whenever he was called 'Tsukki'. And yes, he still rolled his eyes at Tetsurou's many, many attempts to make him laugh—be it with lame puns or awkward flirting. But then, he had also cracked a tiny smile or two when Tetsurou divulged all the nonsense his teammates would spout during practice. And after Tetsurou watched Jurassic Park for the second time—just so he would have something to talk about with Tsukki—they spent an afternoon together pointing out plot holes and debating whether Jeff Goldblum was objectively hot or not. Much to his surprise, Tsukki found the actor inexplicably hot. "D'you think I'm anything like Jeff Goldblum?" Tetsurou asked out of the blue.

"Who?"

"The guy from Jurassic Park. Uhmm. . ." Tetsurou racked his brain for any other Goldblum movie that his best friend might have watched. "Independence Day. . . Cats & Dogs. . . "

Through this, Kenma was tapping on his phone. "This guy?" he asked, brandishing a picture of the actor from his younger days.

"Yep, that's the one." 

With his cat-like gaze, Kenma stared at a bare-chested Goldblum before swiping to the next picture. "He's tall and tanned—"

"I can see that, yes."

"—and he's got dark, messy hair, too."

"Go on," Tetsurou urged, excited beyond reason.

"This is so random, even for you."

"Nuh-uh." Tetsurou curled a leg under him and slung an arm over the back of the couch. "Tsukki thinks he's hot."

"Whatever happened to being _'just friends'_ with him?" 

Tetsurou shook his head. "Well, he's too. . ." He trailed off, searching for the right word. "Irresistible. . . Nothing like how that stupid owl had described him. If you knew him like I do, you'd want to date him yourself."

"You're getting drool all over my couch," Kenma sighed. "I sleep here." Tetsurou was about to protest when his best friend added, "Knowing you, you're probably a second away from pushing the wrong buttons."

The sentiment was appreciated even though it's unnecessary. "Don't worry, kitten," he said, ruffling the long locks of blond hair before him. "Had plenty of practice with you. Trust me, I got this."


	6. Teacup

* * *

**(22)**

* * *

 

"It's off," Tetsurou announced instead of greeting his friends. Closing the door with his sock-clad foot, he made a beeline towards the couch and plopped down beside Kenma, who continued to ignore him in favor of beating the shit out of Pac-man. Game nights at Kenma's used to be a more intense affair, back when Tetsurou and Bokuto still believed they could one day achieve the impossible. His little kitten crushed their delusions game after game without much effort on his part. Nowadays, they were content either cheering for or heckling Kenma, whichever struck their fancy. 

Without acknowledging his best bro's latest crisis, Bokuto lunged for the six-pack Tetsurou brought with him, cracking one open within the next second. Tetsurou grimaced at the sight of beer dripping down the owl's chin.

Akaashi, on the other hand, proved once and for all that he was the mother they all deserved. "What do you mean?"

"Me and Tsukki," Tetsurou answered, grabbing a throw pillow off the floor. Dust particles floated up, tickling his nose into sneezing. When was the last time he badgered Kenma into vacuuming his entire apartment? 

"Was it ever on?" teased Bokuto, wagging his eyebrows up and down in apparent amusement.

"No, but it could've been. In a world where good things happen to me," Tetsurou whined before burying his face on the pillow. His regretful words the day before started ringing inside his head.

The upbeat background music stopped at once followed by a sigh, this time from Kenma. "I remember telling you—"

"Yeah, yeah," Tetsurou groused back, his words coming out muffled by the cushion. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda." He would have grumbled some more, but then somebody yanked the pillow away from his grasp.

"What exactly did you do, bro?"

 

 

 

* * *

**(21)**

* * *

 

 _'Lucky, lucky!'_ Tetsurou cheered to himself as he entered The Nest with a bounce in his step. For the past week, he had been mapping out which of Tsukki's break times coincided with his free time.

A lesser man would have begged Suga for help.

A desperate man would have sneaked into the backroom to check the crews' schedules.

Tetsurou was neither.

He actually enjoyed the challenge posed by the unpredictable blond. Some days, he would get a nice fifteen-minute chat while he waited for his order. On two occasions, he had missed Tsukki by a hair's breadth. And then there was that one time—on the 21st of January, Thursday, 2:33 PM—when he got a whole afternoon with Tsukki, having caught the blond just after he had ended his shift for the day. A fine day that was, but it had never repeated since then.

Today, a disgruntled Tsukki sat in an armchair with a laptop before him. Chibi-chan and the kid who looked like an angry blueberry crowded him from the back of his seat, both leaning forward towards the screen. Tetsurou could hear another tinny voice coming from the laptop, but he couldn't make much sense of the words being said. Going by the pout on Tsukki's lips, it seemed like the blond was being ganged on by the his friends. Enter Kuroo Tetsurou, his knight in shining armor.

"Kuroo-san!" Chibi-chan greeted him at the top of his lungs—the sound being amplified by the lack of other customers inside the shop. "Tsukishima's being sooo lame right now."

Tsukki clicked his tongue as Tetsurou approached the group with a smirk on his face. "Talk to you later, Yamaguchi. I'm getting swarmed here by annoying pests,"  the blond bit back, swatting away Chibi-chan's hand as he tried to end the video-call.

"Kuroo-san. . ." the voice trailed off. "You mean, Kuroo Tetsurou of the Blockbusters?"

"Hey." Tetsurou bent down and waved his hand at the freckled kid on the screen. "You know—"

"AAHHH!!" Freckles leaned closer to the camera, his dark eyes going wider by the second. "You're real!" He covered his face with both hands as Tsukki glowered and Chibi-chan giggled at their friend's surprise. "I didn't mean— Of course, I know you're a real person, hahaha. . ."

Tetsurou grinned back as he pocketed both hands in his track pants. Meeting fans of their team had always made him bashful and thrilled simultaneously. "Nice to meet you. . .?"

"Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi Tadashi," Freckles continued, lowering his hands down his lap again. His cheeks glowed pink as he pressed his lips together in hard line. 

"That's Tsukishima's best friend," Chibi-chan piped up. "He's really great at jump float serves!"

Tetsurou recalled hearing that name every now and then whenever he hanged out with Tsukki. He also noted that the blond had not disclosed his existence to this kid—a thought that would, without a doubt, eat at him for the rest of the day. "Cool, maybe we could play a game or two when you come to Tokyo for a visit," Tetsurou offered, masking a sudden bout of insecurity with another smirk.

"Y-yeah, I'd love to." Yamaguchi nodded his head too many times before adding, "We watched the Nationals and now the V.League, and you—"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi," Tsukki cut in.

From his point of view, Tetsurou relished the sight of the blond's ears now matching colors with his best friend's cheeks. _Due to secondhand embarrassment for Freckles or perhaps, a shared one between them?_

"Sorry, Tsukki."

Tetsurou waited for the inevitable, snappy variation of _'Don't call me that'_ , but it didn't happen. _Huh, so the best friend had dibs for that privilege._ It shouldn't come as a surprise since Tetsurou had special nicknames for his own friends. And yet, it did. He did not resent Freckles for getting special treatment from the blond though. It just piqued his curiosity and reminded him of how little he actually knew the blond. Perhaps, honey was really the way to go with Tsukki. Or was it simply a product of the years they spent growing up together? 

"It's pointless," Tsukki said to Freckles, startling Tetsurou away from his musings. "I have better things to do with my time."

Seeing an opportunity before him, Tetsurou risked being shot down again to gain more insight into the inner workings of Tsukishima Kei. "What's got you extra grumpy today, Tsukki?"

A click of the tongue and a cute, little frown—there's the classic Tsukki response he had been expecting. He wondered if Chibi-chan and Angry Blueberry would get the same reaction if they would ever dare to brave the blond's ire. Tsukki did not bother to respond to his question, but Tetsurou got a vague answer nonetheless. "A conference, huh?" he remarked, skimming over a flyer lying on top of the keyboard. He did not manage to read the rest of the details as Tsukki grabbed the paper and shoved it down the pocket of his apron.

"His professor recommended him to be one of the presenters," Freckles chimed in, catching back Tetsurou's attention. "It would be about his latest paper on dinosaurs. The title's a mouthful, though." The boy directed a sheepish, tiny grin to his best friend. "Being invited is such an honor, but—"

Tsukki snorted, his eyes rolling up in exasperation. "The organizers are just cutting on costs by inviting students instead of actual experts."

That may be true, Tetsurou thought, but so what? Out of all his peers, Tsukki was deemed to be a worthy replacement for experienced scientists and academics. It was almost tantamount to Tetsurou being invited by the National Team to sub in during a match. Knowing the blond's undeniable love for all things dinosaur, the insistent rejection puzzled Tetsurou. "What's the issue here, then? Are you afraid of speaking in public?"

"I don't want to exert effort for something so pointless as this," replied Tsukki evenly, to the point of sounding like he was merely stating a fact of life rather than an excuse from someone who wanted to appear like he did not give a damn about anything.

Yeah, Tetsurou was onto the blond's deal by now. He crossed his arms over his chest and shrugged his shoulders. "Look, I may not be into this kind of things back in my day, but _I think_ sharing of knowledge is the point of these events."

Chibi-chan turned his gaze up at Tetsurou, somehow managing to pick up something else entirely from his response. "How _old_ are you, Kuroo-san?" The Angry Blueberry immediately latched into the silly question, his voice drowning out the rest of his tiny friend's protests from being called a 'dumbass'. Tetsurou ignored the prickly duo in favor of the impromptu staring match between him and Tsukki.

"The difference between a required essay and an insightful paper is too great for me to overcome. I wrote that just because it's due last week."

Neither of them was backing down. Tetsurou wanted to win this exchange, all for some dumb reasons like being the sole focus of the blond's attention once again or finally getting the better of this clever kid before him. "If my memory serves me correctly, you left a game in the middle of it, disappeared from work for like, three days, just to work on that _assignment_." He threw in a couple of air bunnies when he said that last word, hoping it would keep things from turning light banter into an full-on argument.

Tsukki smirked—how he could pull off one that bordered the line of teasing and condescending continually impressed Tetsurou every single time he saw that expression. "You must be going senile, Kuroo-san. Nobody works on an assignment for three days straight."

 

 

 

* * *

**(22)**

* * *

 

"I swear, I stopped breathing when I heard that." 

"Heard what?" Bokuto inquired, his eyebrows inching up to his ridiculous hairline.

Tetsurou wanted to tear his hair out when neither Akaashi nor Kenma showed any hint of understanding too. "He didn't spend that weekend on school work alone." He waited for a reaction, but none came. "He basically said he's seeing somebody else already," Tetsurou added before planting his face on the nearest throw pillow again. "It's probably some guy he met in the library."

". . . "

". . . "

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Apparently, everyone was getting better at understanding his pillow-speak. Bristling at the reaction he got, Tetsurou still believed that it was a reasonable conclusion to reach. Somebody jabbed a finger at him on the side of his ribs, making him flinch and sit up with a huff. "He's not interested in me," he whined while rubbing a hand over the sore spot. No one refuted this statement, but no one seemed to even understand the predicament he had put himself in. "He probably hates me, too."

"Just because you tried making him go to that conference?" Kenma clarified, his disbelief evident when he side-eyed his best friend. 

"Well. . . " Tetsurou began, steeling himself with a deep, deep breath. "My brain was not getting enough oxygen at the time. 'Cause, y'know, I was not breathing while jumping into one conclusion after another." Perking up, Bokuto reached out an arm for a rather inappropriate high-five for his attempt at wordplay. Tetsurou was never one to leave a bro hanging, earning them a drawn-out sigh from Akaashi.

"Anyway. . . "

 

 

 

* * *

**(21)**

* * *

 

Narrowing his eyes, Tetsurou cocked his head to the side as he processed this new information. "This has been bothering me for a while now. Why do you always have to look like you're not trying at all? I mean, let's forget about the whole notion of 'trying hard' and just focus on the concept of 'trying'. What's so wrong about giving it a shot?" He turned to the rest of the group, who seemed to have been petrified by his sudden outburst. "Has he always been like this?"

A nod, a scowl, a worried squeak—none of them mattered compared to the stunned expression on Tsukki's face.

Tetsurou backpedaled without further thought. "I just don't get it, Tsukki. Talk like that, and you'd miss out on all the opportunities coming your way." His words managed to wipe away the shock from blond's face, leaving it blank for a second. "'Cause if you want to serve tea and coffee your whole life, then—"

"Now that you mention it," Tsukki interrupted, standing up to his full height. "I should get back to work." He then directed a smile that didn't go up to his eyes to Tetsurou. "Those teacups aren't going to clean themselves, after all. If you'll excuse me." 

_'No, no, no. Dammit.'_

"Tsukki. . . " Freckles called out before the blond tapped the red button, finally ending the video-call. 

 

 

 

* * *

**(22)**

* * *

 

 "Looks like you stepped on a mine," Akaashi said, his tone dripping with judgment though his face remained impassive.

Bokuto, on the other hand, decided to rub salt on the wound. "At long last, Kuroo Tetsurou, the master of provocation, has failed."

A sigh from his side kept Tetsurou from explaining his miscalculation. "What did I tell you?" 

"I know, I know." Tetsurou raised up both hands in surrender to the ever-so-wise Kenma. "Given all the times I've talked with him, I would have never thought that."

"Thought what?" prompted Bokuto.

"For guy who's going to a top university and has, like supermodel looks," Tetsurou explained as his mind flooded with the blond's last words to him, "I never would've thought that his self-esteem is as delicate and fragile as a teacup."


	7. Vivi un pò

* * *

**(26)**

* * *

 

_'I understood what you meant, Kuroo-san. I just don't see why I should care enough to be mad at you.'_

Three days had passed since Tetsurou's apology had been met with a dry, somewhat curt, dismissal. It sounded so wrong, so disheartening, that he was rendered speechless, unable to point out how contradictory those words were. He had crossed a line as a result of his eager but blind pursuit of the blond. Tetsurou knew that much. What he didn't know was how to get Tsukki back into speaking terms with him. Every day, he would drop by The Nest in hopes of bridging once again the ever widening gap between them. And every day, Tsukki would find a way to fend him off. Wiping imaginary finger prints off the cups and glasses. Reorganizing the cookies and pastries into all sorts of patterns. Slipping back inside the kitchen where not even Tetsurou's gaze could follow him around. 

Tetsurou was bracing himself for his fourth day in the seventh circle of hell when Daichi dragged him back to the present.

"Stop holding up the line."

"Sorry." Tetsurou rubbed the back of his head as he pretended to peruse the menu board. Tsukki was nowhere to be found; His timing was off again. "Just the usual," he said when nothing else seemed to appeal to him. Avoiding the hard stare directed at him, he fished out a couple of bills from his pocket. 

"Is Bokuto coming with you later?"

"You still want me to—?"

The first Saturday night of the month was sacred for The Nest owners and their crew. Ever the team captains, Daichi and Suga would reserve Tanaka's bar for some team-building activities. Whatever they did though, it would always end up with shots and singing and sometimes even body shots. It was supposed to be limited to The Nest staff only, but Tetsurou, charming as he was, smooth talked his way into getting invited too—Smooth talk plus an offer to pay for a couple of rounds, to be more accurate. 

"As long as he brings Akaashi along," replied Daichi as he handed over the receipt.

_'Tsukki had not told on me.'_

Earlier, Daichi did not glare at Tetsurou for insulting his kouhai. Right now, his main issue was Bokuto's drunken antics, which was, truth be told, a valid concern. Perhaps, Tsukki really did not care. Perhaps, the insult was so inconsequential that it was not brought up in conversation again. Hating him was one thing, but complete indifference? God, he had really messed this up so badly. He would rather have mean words thrown back at him than suffer through Tsukki's brand of punishment.

Accepting the drink without much thought, Tetsurou managed to find his way to a plush, velvet armchair that his sorry ass did not deserve. How could he bounce back from this one? How could he redeem himself when the one person he wanted to care would not even give him a second thought? Plagued by one desperate thought after another, he jumped out of his skin when a finger poked hard at his cheek. 

"You're back into being a creep again, huh?" On the loveseat across Tetsurou, Suga pulled his fiance by the arm to sit down beside each other. 

 Cheek throbbing in pain, Tetsurou pouted his lips in envy. Comfortable, familiar, unwavering—Easy to the ears, so damn hard to achieve. "I guess. . . "

Daichi's eyebrows furrowed together. "I gotta say it's weird to see you like this. Are you alright?"

"I, uh. . . I pissed off your precious, four-eyed kouhai," Tetsurou admitted with a sigh. 

"Is it because of your relentless flirting?" asked Suga with no hint of malice despite the knowing grin he had on his lips. "He's pretty slow to warm up to people."

A sour blend of guilt and frustration bubbled up to Tetsurou's throat. "Yeah, I noticed." He should just come clean. How much worse could things be anyway? "I was trying to provoke him into attending this. . . dino conference when things got out of hand." The couple stayed silent, prompting him to continue. "I might've implied that working here is beneath him," he finished in a sheepish tone.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry," Tetsurou hastily added, bending himself in half as he bowed down his head. "I wasn't thinking about you guys when I said that, and obviously I don't mean—"

"We get it," Daichi interrupted. "No offense taken."

"And we do understand where you're coming from," Suga said in his soothing mother-crow voice.

Tetsurou straightened up and witnessed the couple sharing a look. 

Daichi sighed, turning back to their desperate friend. "Frankly, most of the time, we couldn't see the logic or reason for his behavior. And we've known him since he's fifteen."

"I've learned that if you force him to move forward, he's just going to push back harder," shared Suga.

That was painfully accurate, Tetsurou thought. Could it mean that everything he had done so far only lessened his chances to be with the blond? There went his delusions of finally making progress for the past couple of weeks.

"I wish we could help you out."

Suga clapped his hands together, surprising both raven-heads. "We can! At the party later. Everyone's going."

"I'm not really in the mood—"

"You're not listening," Suga stressed out. " _Everyone's_  going."

Realization finally hit Tetsurou like a karate chop to the head. "Oh. . . "

 

* * *

 

 Seizure-inducing lights, rowdy banter erupting here and there, the smell of cheap beer and roasted peanuts—Tetsurou felt some sense of comfort in the never-changing ambiance of Tanaka's place. He had arrived later than planned. Blame it on the nerves, he reasoned out to himself as Saeko beamed an eye-crinkling smile from behind the bar. Not the blond he was looking for, but certainly the one he needed if he wanted to succeed tonight.  

"Looks like you could use a drink," Saeko observed, turning her smile into a pout.

Tetsurou deflected this with a smirk so sharp, his abused cheek ached again. "You just want my money."

The worry dissipated into a light, yet somehow sinister, chuckle. Relief bloomed inside Tetsurou's chest. Despite everything, he was not yet rendered completely incompetent by the series of blunders that had knocked him senseless for the past few days. He was surrendering his credit card when pinpricks dotted the back of his  neck. 

"I would appreciate it if you would stop telling people that I'm mad at you."

"Hm?" Whipping around, Tetsurou could not believe that the blond had approached him first. His spectacular plan was falling into pieces even before he could initiate it.

"You should get your hearing checked, Kuroo-san," Tsukki sneered, much to Tetsurou's growing bewilderment. "How many times do I have to say it?" he continued. "I'm not mad at you."

Tetsurou remained slack-jawed, urging his brain to catch up quickly before his mouth could make things worse. From behind, he could hear Saeko wishing him luck before leaving them alone. An unfortunate move, really. Tetsurou could use that drink now. A case full of it. He let out a long sigh, rubbing both palms over his face in an vain attempt to kick start his head into working again. Had he always been this dumb around people he had been crushing on before? If so, how in hell did he manage to score dates, full-on relationships notwithstanding?

"No comebacks, huh?" prodded Tsukki, his chin raising up in superiority, still unaware of his effect on the messed-up man before him. "If you're losing your touch because of me, then just—"

"You're obviously mad, since I'm getting this much salt all over me." If things between them were just a tad lighter, Tetsurou would have laughed his ass off at their mutual surprise. His eyes detected a slight movement on a corner of Tsukki's lips. Slowly tugging up, but unintentional, most likely.

Tsukki recovered too quickly for his liking though. "I'm obviously not, since I'm still having this conversation with you."

Cocking his head to the side, Tetsurou leaned back against the edge of the counter. The wood dug into the waistband of his jeans as he calculated his next move. "Okay," he conceded. "Since you're in no way mad at me, you wouldn't mind if I talked your ears off, right?"

"I didn't say that," Tsukki huffed, seemingly catching on quickly to Tetsurou's shameless suggestion to make up for the days he had been ignored.

Except, Tetsurou had expected such reaction, hence his next words. "Yeah, I guess I couldn't do that to you. You're blind enough as it is."

"Huh?"

Even for a smart kid, it took several dreadful, awkward seconds before Tsukki rolled his eyes again and hid another grin forming on his lips by rolling them between his teeth. "You'd be doing me a favor then," Tsukki sassed back, pointedly eyeing the bird's nest that Tetsurou claimed to be his natural hairstyle. 

Proposing after being bested at his own game would be totally acceptable, right? _Right?_ He did not see that coming his way, and so was the lung-crushing tackle that robbed him completely out of breath.

"Hey, hey, hey! It's Glasses-kun!"

The seering pain from his ribs sobered up Tetsurou. Right behind the hyperactive owl was the second most attractive person in the bar that night. Tsukki in a heavy-knit purple sweater and the tightest black pants legally allowed in public had rightfully knocked Akaashi off the top spot--a spot he had held uncontested for the longest time. Of course, Tetsurou suspected his ranking system may have compromised when the hotness meter didn't move down a millimeter even when the blond's expression twisted into grimace from being branded a not-so-new nickname.

"It's Tsukishima."

"Nice to meet you, Tsukishima-san," greeted Akaashi with a tight-lipped grin, an effort to compensate for his boyfriend's lack of manners.

Still, Bokuto missed his cues. Elbowing Tetsurou on his sore side, he inquired without even lowering his volume down to a whisper, "Did'ya two make up already?" The blond's expression intensified from having his earlier accusations brought forward with fresh evidence. Before he could hurl sharp words at Tetsurou again, Bokuto turned to Tsukki and proved that he was definitely not one for subtlety. "Are you still mad at my bro?

"Bokuto!" Tetsurou interjected even though he was also keen to get confirmation again, this time in front of witnesses.

Tsukki sighed. "I wasn't mad at him." He clicked his tongue when Akaashi raised an eyebrow at his declaration. "A little annoyed, maybe."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Tetsurou concurred. He felt some sort of self-satisfaction from Tsukki's admission, and just a dash of discontent that he wasn't the one to draw it out of the blond.

Shifting from one foot to the other, Tsukki scanned the seats to their right. "I should go."

"Wait," said Tetsurou, grabbing Tsukki by his worryingly bony shoulder. The blond glared at him as he shrugged off the hand anchoring him to his spot. Tetsurou racked his brain for an excuse, whatever inane thought he could come up with to justify his clinginess. "Please, stay. Otherwise, I'd end up being the third wheel with these two," he reasoned out in a rush of words. It was an utter lie, of course. During parties like this, it's always Akaashi who would stick out like a sore thumb due to his tight grip on common sense and unwavering self-control. Everybody, except Tsukki, knew how far from the truth his excuse was, so Bokuto smacked the side of Tetsurou's head while Akaashi informed him that they would be heading now to their usual booth.

Tsukki watched them go for a second before turning back to Tetsurou. "That should concern me because. . . ?"

"We're friends?" Tetsurou didn't mean for it to be a question, but no one could really fault him for this uncertainty. Also, people should stop hitting him on the head. Ever since he met Tsukki, his precious brain cells kept getting tossed around, deprived of oxygen, and now frozen by that icy stare.

"Since when?"

Hearing that one stung, but it only spurred on Tetsurou. "I'll pay for all your drinks tonight."

"You already are," Tsukki countered, raising up his bottle of ginger ale.

Poor choice of drink, really, but Tetsurou was not here to criticize Tsukki's questionable life choices. Giving up would never be an option, too. "I know for a fact that Saeko can whip up strawberry daiquiris if I asked her nicely."

Tsukki's mask of stubbornness cracked a tiny bit with a slight twitch of his eyebrow.

"With real strawberry bits in it," Tetsurou sweetened the offer. "None of that artificial crap."

It didn't take long after that for Tsukki to accept the deal. Actually, it took Tetsurou longer to locate Saeko and grovel before her while she made a batch of daiquiris. Whoever said that blonds have more fun didn't clarify that it would be at his expense. Fortunately, Tsukki wasn't there to witness any of this, having directed him to wait for the cocktail in the third booth from the door. By the time Tetsurou had secured the blasted drink, the blond seemed to be quite taken by whatever anecdote Akaashi was sharing with him. Bokuto was nowhere to be found, but his hooting and cackling could be heard even through the hollering that passed as singing in this place. Tetsurou slid the drink in front of the blond, who looked up at him with a smirk.

"Thank you, Kuroo-san, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry for making fun of your hair earlier," Tsukki intoned without any hint of remorse. "There is no shame in living your best life even when you're burdened with such a physical deformity." A faint grin appeared on his face, unable to keep a straight face.

"And thank you for that, Akaashi," Tetsurou deadpanned as he sidled up right next to Tsukki. Eyes narrowing at the traitor across the table, he tried to figure out whether or not this was done with good intentions. On one hand, Tsukki now knew of Tetsurou's perpetual source of anxiety. On the other hand, knowing his vulnerable points had had lightened up Tsukki's mood once more. His thoughts were thrown in disarray when Bokuto barreled his way back into booth and dumped two bowls of cheese fries on the table.

"Got us some appetizers," the beefy man-child announced to the group. Tanaka could be heard shouting from the other side of the room, something about a thieving owl and revenge. Bokuto seemed to turn a deaf ear as he munched on his first plunder for the night.

Chuckling, Tetsurou reached for a bowl and offered them to the stunned blond. " _This_ is how I get my money back."

"I'm not hungry," Tsukki said without batting an eye. "Besides, your friend would have to steal everything from the menu for you to break-even."

"Oya, oya? You think this is all I could manage, Glasses-kun?" Bokuto butted in, an arched eyebrow rising nearly up to his hairline. 

Apparently, Tsukki was also good at provoking others, albeit without even meaning to. "It's Tsukishima," the blond repeated, this time with a glare. "And I don't know you well enough to judge your ability in scavenging around for a meal."

"You know, Tsukishima-kun, you can really hit back with your words, but they don't really pack a punch." Bokuto shrugged his shoulders and continued, "You should eat more. Your arms look so frail that I'm scared they're gonna fall off any second now."

Tsukki openly gaped at the inexplicable ways of Bokuto's mind, while Akaashi merely expelled an exaggerated sigh. "That makes no sense. . . at all." 

Tetsurou intervened before the blond could take this as another excuse to leave. "Oohh, our first dare for the night!" All eyes swung back to him. "Y'know, Truth or Dare?" he elaborated. "It's perfect since the Third Booth has a new member."

"Third booth?"

Tetsurou pointed his thumb at the table stand number. "It's our usual booth, and you're one of us now," he explained, smirking at his own brilliance. "You even brought us a bottle for spinning." Grabbing the ale Tsukki had been drinking earlier, he tipped the remaining contents out into a glass, knowing full well that Tsukki would only be drinking daiquiris for the rest of the night.

"You're on!" Bokuto was fired up, determined to prove the blond wrong.

"And what do I get out of this?" Tsukki asked, feigning disinterest even though his golden eyes had gained a mischievous twinkle.

"Free food, free booze, and. . ." Tetsurou listed down before pausing for dramatic effect. "We can dare Bokuto to do handstands while singing."

The effect was instantaneous. Tsukki was not much of actor, but it didn't take much to convince Bokuto of his disbelief. "There's _no way_ he can do that."

"I sure can!" Bokuto exclaimed. He took off his jacket and shoved them at his boyfriend. "Babe, hold this for me."

"Wait--" Akaashi cautioned, but Bokuto was a man with a mission. The owl somehow flew off from his seat and up on the stage within a matter of seconds.

Tetsurou snickered as his best bro made a fool out of himself. "Oh, there he goes." Tsukki restrained his laughter with the back of his hand, but Tetsurou saw his shoulders hitching up and down in amusement.

"You two are terrible," Akaashi admonished the pair. "I'm not going to carry him on my back again, if he winded up in the ER."

_'Ahh. . . Sweet, sweet revenge.'_

 

* * *

 

"Did you see me do it on one hand, 'Kaashi?!"

"My eyes were both closed. I could hear your off-key singing though."

"Aagghhhaaashiii!!"

 

* * *

 

To keep Bokuto from descending to his emo mode, Akaashi distracted him by keeping the ball rolling. "Who's next?"

"I nominate young Tsukki here!" Tetsurou said, hiding away the bottle under the table.

"You can't do that," Tsukki protested. "Give me the bottle."

Bokuto, however, had latched on to his life-line. "C'mon, it's in the rules. Newcomers have to—"

"You're still dizzy, Bokuto-san. There is no such rule."

"I remember that rule," Akaashi chimed in, backing up his boyfriend for once.

Tetsurou smirked. "It's three to one, Tsukki."

"I don't have to stay."

The smirk disappeared just as quickly as it came. "You'd be breaking the sacred bond of the Third Booth. Besides, we're not as bad as you think." As if to hammer down his point, Hinata and Kageyama broke out into a shouting match again, trapping Tsukki between a rock and a hard place.

"Fine," the blond sighed in concession. "Truth."

Bokuto slumped down on the greasy table. "Awww. . . You're no fun, Tsukki," he groaned.

"Don't call me that."

"I've got one." Tetsurou had been itching to ask this ever since he had pissed off the blond. "Are you going to the dino conference?"

The irritation in Tsukki's expression dissipated as he leveled a measured gaze back to Tetsurou. "I don't know," he answered simply after mulling over the question for a few seconds.

Hope bloomed inside Tetsurou's chest. "That's better than an outright 'no'. Glad to hear you're now considering it." Somehow, his reply earned him a frown, prompting him to steer the blond back into the right direction. "I could go with you," he said without thinking how counter-intuitive his offer could be, "if you need moral support or, I dunno, at least if you need somebody to drive you to the venue."

Nothing could get past Tsukki though. "Why are you pushing this? What's in it for _you?_ I enjoy that subject, but even I don't want to go."

Filing that bit of trivia to the back of his head for later examination, Tetsurou opted to dissimulate his agenda instead. "I'm always this kind," he declared, closing his eyes and plastering on his 'I'm-just-a-helpful-senpai' grin. A special trick he had not used since his days back in Nekoma. It would have worked--He was sure of it!--if only his trigger-happy best bro did not break out into fitful giggles. Matching unimpressed stares of Akaashi and Tsukki met his gaze when he opened his eyes. _Great_ , this night just kept getting better and better. "You don't have to look at me like that," he grumbled like a child denied of his birthday gift. "I just. . . I believe you could be so much more if you'd only put in more effort into things you actually want more than anything," he explained to Tsukki, who remained impassive. "And yeah, I don't know you as well as I'd like, but I'm more than willing to stay around and wait for you to, y'know. . . be my friend."

Seconds, minutes, or more likely, an eternity passed by inside the bubble that his words created around them. It wasn't the complete truth, of course, but his sentiments were genuine. The mask cracked for a fraction of second, revealing the vulnerable kid hiding underneath. A hint of understanding in his eyes, a touch of softness in his gaze. Tetsurou would have gotten more from this exchange, but then the bubble burst before his mind could even begin to examine this rare display of honesty.

"Oh, man. You're such a cheeseball," Bokuto teased, wiping away the tears at the corner of his eyes. He then stood up and scouted the bar for his next target. "Mmm. . . Who wants some nachos?"

 

* * *

 

"You were amazing!"

Tetsurou grimaced at the stench of beer wafting from Bokuto's mouth. "I know, bro." He hefted an arm over his shoulders as he struggled to stay upright himself. He should not have taken that last tequila shot. Akaashi was on the other side, curling an arm around Bokuto's waist to keep him steady.

"YOU were amazing!" Bokuto repeated, this time to his boyfriend. Akaashi did not reply though, determined to haul his precious cargo into the cab waiting for them outside the bar. "You guys are the BEST!!" he shouted to the equally wasted crows, who cheered back as they looked on from their seats.

Bastards, muttered Tetsurou under his breath as he dragged an eighty-kilogram owl, hooting and squawking with each step he took. No one else offered to help except for his blond angel, who propped open the door with his arm. Bright red from all the strawberry daiquiris he had partaken tonight, Tsukki smirked when Tetsurou expelled out an over-the-top sigh. It was also thanks to those cocktails that the blond had slowly loosened up and came to ~~appreciate~~ tolerate Bokuto's drunken foray into thievery and Tetsurou's renewed but subtle—Damn right, he could be subtle, too!—attempts at flirting. 

"Wait, wait!" Bokuto shouted when they reached the cab, his voice somehow reaching an ungodly volume. He tightened his grip around Tetsurou's shoulder while his other arm flailed around. "Hey!"

"Yeah?" Tetsurou grunted as he tried to maneuver Bokuto into sitting down on the backseat. The driver harrumphed in irritation, but made no move to assist his passengers.

"Not you." Much to everyone's displeasure, Bokuto would not go down without a fight. "You!" Pointing a finger at a lamppost beside Tsukki, his eyes squinted at his supposed target. "He _likes_ you," the goddamn owl divulged as his brows wiggled up and down.

Sobering up in an instant, Tetsurou used his entire body weight to shove Bokuto and hopefully shut him up. "Good night, Bokuto," he said through gritted teeth. Akaashi then boarded the vehicle, pushing his boyfriend further inside before slamming the door.

No door, however, could ever contain Bokuto. "Why don't you just tell him, bro?!"

"Ignore him, please." Akaashi managed to say as he struggled under the weight of a giant owl sprawled across his lap.

"Text me when you get home." Pretending to be calm, Tetsurou prayed to whatever higher power there was for Tsukki to be back to his indifferent self.

It was all in vain, however. Finally succumbing to his inebriated state, Bokuto slipped down the floor of the cab with a painful 'oomph', thereby allowing Akaashi some semblance of a proper goodbye. "Will do," he replied before turning to Tsukki. "It was nice to finally meet you, Tsukishima."

 _Finally_ being the operative word here, and nothing, _nothing,_ could get past Tsukishima. Tetsurou could feel the blond's gaze on him as the vehicle pulled away from the sidewalk. Recovering from his trip down the floor, Bokuto's booming laughter rang out into the night. Akaashi should roll up that window if they didn't want to get stopped over by the cops for excessive noise pollution. 

Tetsurou's hands found their way into the pockets of his jeans He swayed on his feet as he watched his friends leave him with yet another awkward situation. "Sorry you had to see that," he said without turning to the blond. He disguised his nerves with a mirthless chuckle. "Happens every time we come here. Bokuto and booze and singing, that's just a recipe for injuries and disasters."

"Is that true?"

At least, Tsukki had enough tact not to interrogate the helpless cat right this moment. "Yeah, yeah." Tetsurou decided to let his guard down upon seeing the curious expression on the blond's face. "He drinks and he sings and just loses his shit. Poor Akaashi," he finished with another chuckle.

"Don't be obtuse." 

Tetsurou swallowed down his tongue. And he fervently wished the ground would swallow him down, too. He rubbed a hand on the back of his head, wishing that Tsukki was at least drunk enough to forget this conversation by tomorrow morning. 

"Do you like me?" the blond asked when Tetsurou remained silent for a little longer than acceptable.

Tetsurou was never one to run away, but would admitting it be another mistake? His brain was screaming 'YES!' on repeat, but to which question, he was not quite sure. _Both_. Most likely both. "Of course," he replied, giving in to the impulse.

Tsukki's eyes widened as his fingers fidgeted with the hem of his sweater. "As a friend?"

"Yeah," Tetsurou agreed without thinking. "As a friend." His brain was now telling him to slam his head against the nearest lamppost. 

"Just as friends?" 

Working into an overdrive, Tetsurou scrambled for the right answer. What did Tsukki want to hear? What was Tetsurou willing to risk? "Yeah, I mean. . . I haven't really thought about it." Tetsurou could practically the smell of his brain being fried into a crisp. "Why?" he asked, self-control gone along with his self-preservation.

"No reason," the blond replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "You mentioned it earlier, and I think I'd like to be friends with you." A tiny, seemingly hopeful grin punctuated this remark, breaking whatever delusions Tetsurou had about his chances with Tsukki.

"Yeah, totally." How many times had he said 'yeah' in a span of seconds? "Friends. You and me." He tapped a foot on the concrete, shaky from the impact that grin had on his confidence. "We already are, y'know, kinda like friends. So, umm, yeah. This makes it official."

Silence ensued into what was supposed to be a casual exchange. Unbearable, suffocating, deafening. 

"You're not mad at me anymore, right?" Beating a dead horse, yes, but now it seemed like a safe topic to breach. Perhaps, an unconscious slip of his mind, wishing he could turn back the time. Re-do the whole night. Throw caution into the wind, and just be. . . braver.

"If you ask me that one more time--"

Raising up both hands in surrender, Tetsurou interrupted the blond, "I just don't want, y'know. . . _Freckles_ to think I'm an asshole or something."

Tsukki scoffed, peering down his new friend. "Afraid of losing your one and only fan?"

"More than anything," confirmed Tetsurou, somewhat relieved from hearing the salty retort.

"He's actually on the same wavelength as you are," Tsukki shared, dropping his gaze down the concrete. "About the conference and uh. . . my general lack of initiative."

That caught Tetsurou's attention. "Yeah?" Apparently, Tsukki cared. Cared enough to discuss it with his best friend. Quick breaths and even quicker heartbeats, he looked up at the night sky as a myriad of implications flooded his mind.

"He's also asking for your number."

"Oh. . ." Tetsurou knew the redness of Tsukki's face was from the daiquiris, but _c'mon,_ the fact that they were talking about this meant. . . something! God, his brain needed more oxygen. 

"He was just kidding. You don't have to—"

"Gimme your phone," Tetsurou demanded, acting on pure impulse now. Was this Tsukki's attempt at subtle flirting? Did he learn that from Tetsurou's many, many examples a while ago? He realized he didn't actually care about the why's and the how's when the blond unlocked his phone and handed it over to him. For a second, Tetsurou was tempted to check out the wallpaper—Dinosaurs, maybe? Or something related to volleyball? He restrained himself and focus what little amount of brain cells he had left into typing in his number. "Here you go."

Tsukki practically snatched the phone from his hand, fixing his golden eyes at the display. He stared at it for a good number of seconds; The lump in his throat bobbing up and down. "I don't use emojis for my contacts," he remarked, pouting at the cats and sunglasses and some other random shit Tetsurou had managed to tap.

Smirking, Tetsurou couldn't help but tease the blond once more. "Live a little, Tsukki."

An eye-roll, a scoff, a shake of his head. Nothing prepared Tetsurou for the blond who decided to finally, _finally,_ take on his latest challenge. 

Tsukki's lips were softer, sweeter. . . _something a lot better_ than how Tetsurou imagined them to be. It felt a little disorienting to have someone kiss him without having to lean down himself, but the unfamiliar sensation only heightened the surprise. His mouth opened to let in the blond, and their tongues met for the briefest of moments before Tsukki pulled away.

"Whoa. . . "

Breathless, the both them. Gripping the collar of Tetsurou's jacket, Tsukki's lips hovered before his, just a whisper away. "How's this for living a little?" Hands slid around the back of Tetsurou's head, fingers curled into the unruly, dark hair. Tetsurou winced when Tsukki tugged at the strands, the tips of their noses grazing each other's cheek. Panting into his mouth, pulling him closer, impossibly closer until his lips seized Tetsurou's once more.

The intoxicating hint of strawberries and rum brought forth a warning, a realization of how they might come to regret this reckless act in the light of day. Such intrusive thoughts were quickly overpowered, however, by the sound of a needy moan, a plea for his undivided attention. 

And so, in the middle of the night, out in the street where any of their friends could see, Tetsurou kissed back as he dived, headfirst, into the rabbit hole.


End file.
